The present invention relates to indoor games and in particular to apparatus for playing indoor baseball, indoor softball or indoor tee-ball. In accordance with one aspect of the present invention there is provided an apparatus for playing indoor baseball, indoor softball or indoor tee-ball by a plurality of players of opposing teams comprising a batting team and a fielding team, the batting team being comprised of batters and the fielding team being comprised of fielders and at lest one pitcher for pitching a ball, said apparatus comprising; an arena having a playing area provided with a circuit defined by a plurality of bases including a home base; wall means surrounding the playing area and roof means overlying the playing area above the wall means with boundary lines limiting the playing area. At least two dividing lines extend between the boundary lines such that the playing area is divided into a least three zones, being a first zone, a second zone and a third zone with one of the dividing lines separating the first a one and second zone and another of the dividing lines separating the second zone and third zone. At least one base of the plurality of bases, not being the home base is located in the second zone and at least one of the fielders allocated to the base located in the second zone, one of the batter being positioned in the third zone to take strikes from the pitcher. The dividing line separating the first zone and the second zone defines the closest permissable approach to the base located in the second zone by the fielder of that base prior to the pitcher pitching the ball to the batter on each occasion that the batter takes a strike, such that fielder of the base located in the second zone will be positioned outside the second zone until the pitcher pitches the ball on each occasion that the batter takes a strike.
In accordance with a preferred aspect of the present invention, there are four bases, including the home base, and the first zone contains the positions of both the first and third base fielders.
In accordance with a further preferred aspect of the present invention, the first zone also contains a base. Preferably, the playing area comprises a first zone containing one base, a second zone containing two bases and a third zone containing a home base, such that the fielding positions of the first base fielder and third base fielder are located in the first zone. The fielding position of the second base fielder is preferably located in the first zone and the fielding positions of the left outfield fielder and the right outfield fielder are preferably located in the first zone. In the games of indoor softball and indoor tee-ball the pitcher's position is preferably located in the second zone whilst in the game of indoor baseball, the pitcher's position is preferably located in the first zone. Further, a catcher is preferably located in the region backward of the home base plate in the third zone, in each of the three games. Also, an umpire may be provided. In the case of indoor tee-ball, the umpire is preferably located in the region backward of the home base plate in the third zone. In the case of indoor baseball or indoor softball, the umpire is preferably located outside the arena, behind and in line with the home base plate, but may stand inside the arena. The present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: